A Couple of Hours
by itslukey
Summary: Desmond and Juliet walking through the jungle together at the time of The Economist, season 4 episode 3 . Just a bit of a conversation between two of my favourite characters that never seem to spend much time with each other. Reviews are highly encouraged


Notes: this takes place during the episode _The Economist_ (season 4, episode 3). A picture of Desmond is found with Naomi's belongings, and Juliet offers to go to the beach and bring him back. I love both of these characters but they've never really had that much interaction on the show, so I decided to fill in the blanks of what may have happened during their trip to the helicopter together. The title comes from Juliet's estimate of how long it would take her to bring Desmond there. Enjoy!

***

"There's a helicopter?" Of course there was. It was unravelling. The vision that came to him, the flash before his eyes that hinted at rescue for the girl and her baby that Charlie would have to die for. But Claire was with Locke now.

"With four people on it. But it seems John has one of them. I don't think they're here to rescue us. They're looking for Ben. But I need you to come with me."

Desmond was already shoving fruit and bottles of water into his backpack. That must be it, then. They would have to go to Locke's camp to get Ben, and Claire and Aaron would come with them.

_Claire and her baby get into a helicopter. The helicopter lifts off. Leaves this Island._

"Anyway, it's the dead woman from the freighter, Naomi. Sayid found a picture of you when he was going through her stuff."

"Aye," replied Desmond, swinging the rifle over his shoulder. "And what, they think I can lead them to Ben?"

They began walking away from the beach. _Let this be the last time_, hoped Juliet.

"Not exactly. Sayid and Jack think you may know something they don't already." Desmond scoffed, doubtful. Sayid already knew what Desmond knew, having spoken to Naomi just after they had brought her back to the beach camp. "You don't seem shocked that she had that photo with her?"

"I knew," he replied, avoiding eye contact. "Sayid knows as well. Not sure if you're boy Jack knew, though. Mind you, love, this was back during the time when you were a new arrival. Forgive me for being blunt but I remember trying to keep that very piece of information quiet from Jack because of all that time he was spendin' with you."

"I believe that's the nicest thing you can say to an Other," Juliet joked, and Desmond seemed amused. They were well within the jungle now, the sound of the beach becoming more muted with every step. "And what about now?"

"I might be startin' to think you're just as eager to get off this rock as the rest of us," Desmond said. "Might be. Besides, we got a helicopter full of new arrivals and the knife-throwing box-man playing leader to a group of people with no idea what to do. I think the group's trust issues with you are on hold for the time being."

"Thanks." And she meant it. Juliet had arrived at the survivors' camp under the impression that these people would not like her and that she did not have to like them. However, with just over a week since she had arrived there with Jack, Kate and Sayid, she found that she _had_ started to care for some of them, and she decided that it did matter to her that those people thought of her as someone they could trust. It was nice of Desmond to say that, even if his way of saying it was a little convoluted. Maybe it was just the accent. "Do you worry what they'll ask you about how you got to the Island?"

"Should I be?" But even as he said it, Desmond found that it did in fact begin to worry him. Sure, the circumstances in which he arrived on the Island were innocent enough, even kind of admirable; competing in a race around the world, to show the woman he loved just how much he was prepared to go through to be with her. But there must surely still be those connected to the DHARMA Initiative, and questions would be raised about the man that Desmond replaced inside the Swan Station. Somehow, Desmond found it doubtful that those people would believe Inman just happened to be thrown from the crashing flight of 815, wearing a DHARMA suit and so close to Desmond's boat. There was also the crazy Russian with the eye-patch, though it seemed it was the grenade he detonated that killed him, rather than the harpoon that Desmond had fired into chest.

"You're worried they'll find out about the man you killed?" Juliet asked.

As with every personal question that Juliet asked, Desmond observed, she was being completely ambiguous. There was no comfort in her voice, though it did not seem she was trying to offend or worry Desmond, which she did anyway. These people, these Others, they knew everything.

"Don't worry," Juliet said, almost with a laugh. "If they find out about him, they'll probably find out about Danny Pickett."

"The fella you shot so Kate and the con man could get away?"

"So that Jack would finish Ben's surgery." Juliet corrected. There was a mock-triumph in her voice, Desmond noticed; she was just doing her job as one of them. If their leader's life was on the line, it was perfectly OK to sacrifice one of the pawns. Maybe she was just saving herself.

"And this Ben character," Desmond began. "He's your…" Juliet looked at him, a smile appearing in a corner of her mouth. "What's the relationship there, exactly?"

"The relationship is in Ben's head, I'm afraid." Juliet gulped down some water from a bottle that Desmond passed to her from his pack. "It seems Ben thinks I look like someone that he's a little…" She took another sip, choosing her words carefully. "Intrigued by."

This did not surprise Desmond. He could clearly remember the day she was brought by Jack to the beach camp, and the way his pulse jumped a little when, for just a second, he thought it was Penelope. There were also times, during those quick glances or just out of the corner of his eye, where he could see another familiar face in Juliet's, a blond woman who indirectly caused him to be brought to this Island. Elizabeth, who gave her husband's boat to Desmond, asking only for him to win his race for her in repayment. Once he was off of this Island, Desmond decided, he would be sure to find Elizabeth and thank her once again.

"There's something I was wanting to ask you, too," Juliet broke the silence. "Last night, when we were all together at the wreckage, Hurley said that he was going with Locke because he was listening to Charlie's message. You were with Charlie when he died, yet you decided to stay with the people wanting to be found."

"I've no doubt that Charlie's message is the truth," Desmond said, convinced. "But like you said, Naomi had a picture of me in her bag, and she said that the once who sent her here, the person she was working for, is a woman named Penelope Widmore. The woman I love. I have to know why she said that. If I can find who she's working for, I think that will lead me to Penny." Juliet did not say anything. "But what about you, Juliet? You said before you don't think they're here to rescue us. Wouldn't it be safer to go and hide out at Locke's camp, where they won't find you?"

"Locke's camp is Ben's camp," Juliet replied. "Ben originally sent me to your beach with Jack because he needed help in his plans with the pregnant women. He knows I told everyone about it, and because of that, a lot of his people were killed. When the Freighter people found out I wasn't one of the crash survivors they nearly tortured me for information about him. I'm sure they would have if Jack weren't there. Like I said, they may not be here to rescue us, but taking Ben away from this Island would be the second best thing for the people on it. To that extent, I trust them. We're here."

***

Please review if you liked it. Please review if you didn't.


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